Website used to help Hanford workers hacked

A Department of Labor website used to help Hanford and other Department of Energy workers who are ill was hacked Wednesday, according to AlienVault Labs, an internet security company.

Malware apparently was spread to the computers of some people using the Site Exposure Matrix, a database providing information on exposure to toxic chemicals and related illnesses. It is used by Hanford workers and their survivors who are applying for compensation under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program.

Calls to the Department of Labor were referred to its public information offices, which either said no information was available or did not respond to messages left by the Herald.